BJP all set for stormy debate on natural disaster today
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 17
Ajay Bhatt, Leader of the Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly, today accused the Vijay Bahuguna government of failure to put the state back on track even three months after the natural disaster. He said the BJP legislators would demand answers from the government on the issue during the Assembly session beginning tomorrow.

“In view of the tragedy, the Congress-led state government should have called a special session of the Assembly. But it failed to do so. People affected by flash floods are still living in tents and facing a shortage of food and other essential commodities. On the other hand, the Bahuguna government through advertisements on television has been claiming that it has performed a miracle in the state,” said Bhatt while speaking to mediapersons here.

He added the BJP would use every opportunity to raise issues relating the natural disaster. “We would be willing to debate issues under Rule 310. It is up to the government and the Speaker of the Assembly to provide an opportunity to us for a debate and not to reject the demand to muzzle the voice of the Opposition,” said Bhatt.

When he was reminded that the previous Assembly session lasted less than two hours due to the boycott by the BJP, Bhatt said that they were keen to hold a debate even on issues that may have been pushed to the back burner due to the disaster. “As the main opposition, we are keen to use even Zero Hour and hold a concrete debate. More than 1,100 questions are listed but it is for the government to ensure that the House is run smoothly. We will insist on a debate under the rules specified by us,” said Bhatt.

He added that the country was keen to know why the state government did not take appropriate steps to prevent people from moving to Kedarnath when there was an advance warning about excessive rain on June 14 itself. “The government was careless in not paying heed to the warning, which led to loss of so many lives,” said Bhatt.

Further, Bhatt said as a vigilant opposition we would oppose the government decision to privatize mining as it would entail a huge lose to the ex-chequer.

Party gears up to gherao Assembly
Tribune News Service

Haridwar September 17
On the call of the Uttarakhand BJP, the district party unit is gearing up to gherao the Legislative Assembly in Dehradun on September 19. It hopes to take 5,000 party activists and people led by district BJP chief Kuldeep Gupta from Haridwar to Dehradun.

Kuldeep Gupta told mediapersons here today that as six legislators from the district belongs to the party the turnout for the gherao programme was likely to be on the expected lines.

“All legislators and chiefs of all subunits of the party in the

district are mobilising resources to ensure a high turnout for the proposed gherao of the state Assembly. We have formed committees under presidents of the respective subunits like the women’s cell, the youth wing and the district party unit,” said Gupta.

Newly elected district chief of the women’s cell Sanjana Sharma said women activists would also be participating in a big way and all office-bearers of the wing at the tehsil, block and village levels had been directed to accompany the party activists to Dehradun.

Sanjana added that the activists would travel by buses from Haridwar. “We are getting an overwhelming response from the party cadre and the local people, who are unhappy with the Congress-led government at the Centre and in Uttarakhand as well,” she said.

“The people are perturbed at rising inflation, drifting economy, a weak foreign policy, corruption and scams at the national level and the failure of the state government in dealing with the natural disaster. They want change,” she said.

“With the announcement of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate, there is a new sense of exuberance among party workers,” added Sanjana. She refuted the charge that factionalism in the district unit could affect the turnout from Haridwar. Former district unit chief Om Prakash Jamdagni said minor differences existed in all parties and organisations and they were focusing on the broader issues and the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Section 144 imposed around Vidhan Sabha

Dehradun September 17
District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam said today that Section 144 had been imposed in the 500-metre area around the Vidhan Sabha premises in the wake of Vidhan Sabha session beginning from Wednesday. He said due to the possibility of law and order getting affected during the session through protests and other activities undertaken by organisations and political forums, the imposition of Section 144 had been enforced in the area.

He said no person would be allowed to bring firearms, canes, knifes, hockey sticks, swords or other sharp weapons. —TNS

Joint training programme for forest, police officials
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 17
A three-day joint training programme for Uttarakhand Forest Department and police officials started in Dehradun today.

Inaugurating the training programme, Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RBS Rawat stressed on excellent coordination between Police and Forest Department in order to put a check on wildlife crime.

Rawat asked forest officials in particular to go for prompt action when they came to know of any wildlife crime incident. ''It has often been seen that forest officials first try to ascertain as to whether the wildlife crime incident has taken place in their respective area before taking any action, which is not good,'' he pointed out.

Earlier, Uttarakhand Additional PCCF STS Leptcha disclosed that the three-day training programme is being attended by forest guards and police officials that are posted in Rajaji National Park and adjoining forest divisions.

Special package sought for setting up industries
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 17
Despite the recent flash floods, industrial units are ready to invest and set up micro units in the state.

However, they want a single window system for all related formalities and an initiative from the state government in this regard.

The SIDCUL Manufacturers’ Association has urged the state government to speed up land allocation process and give concessions and special packages for setting up industries in the hill region.

Talking to The Tribune, Harindra Kumar Garg, chairman of the association, said they had visited sites in Tehri, Pauri Garhwal and other districts, where they had found conducive environment for setting up industries.

“But we need a concrete policy and a single window system on the lines of the state of Gujarat. If micro or medium industries are set up in hill districts, they will provide employment to a large number of the youth and could also help in revenue generation,” said Garg.

He said industries also wanted better road and rail connectivity and the setting up of more polytechnics, ITIs and other industrial training institutes in the state, which would provide skilled work force.

Director in charge, Medium Scale and Micro Enterprises, Uttarakhand, Ashok Kumar told The Tribune that various schemes were being launched by the government to set up industries. “We are getting a good response and as part of our programme we are organising a NVDP-cum-Industrial Expo-2013 in Haridwar from October 17 to 20,” he said.

It is being organised by the Directorate of Industries, Uttarakhand, in association with the SIDCUL Manufacturers’ Association the national level industrial exhibition will take place from October 17 to 20 at Integrated Industrial Estate, SIDCUL, Haridwar.

Priests want civic facilities restored at Purnagiri temple
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, September 17
The Purnagiri priest community has demanded immediate restoration of civic facilities at the temple as the Sharadiya Navaratras are to begin from October this year. The priests have demanded restoration of water, road and electricity connectivity to the temple as thousands of pilgrims are expected to reach the temple during the Navratra festival.

“The road connectivity to Purnagiri temple has remained disrupted for the last one month as heavy debris at Batnagar on August 22 has closed the road to the temple, making travel by pilgrims tough on the rugged road,” said Bhuwan Chandra Pandey, president of the Purnagiri Vyapar Mandal and a local priest.

The temple priests have said that besides the closed road to the temple, the arrangements of drinking water and electricity are also not up to date for the large number of pilgrims coming to the temple on Sharadiya Navratras every year. “Besides the damaged road at Batnagar, the 3-km track route to the main temple is also damaged for the last four months but the administration could not get it repaired,” charged Kishen Tiwari, one of the members of the Priest community in Purnagiri temple.

According to Tiwari, the electricity to the temple could not be restored till date after the line to the temple got damaged in the month of August this year. The local villagers near the temple are using water from local rivulets for their daily use and the pilgrims would also be forced to use the same during the Navratras. ''We have given a memorandum to the SDM for making arrangements for the Navratras by removing the debris at Batnagar, repairing the track route to the temple and making arrangements for electrification and drinking water at the temple campus,'' said the priest.

Tanakpur SDM JS Rathod has said that the administration is well acquainted with the problems the pilgrims might face in the coming Navratras and have made preparations in this direction.

The administration has said that keeping in view continuous rains in the locality, it had stalled machines to clear the debris at Batnagar. Besides, it has made arrangements for volunteers to clean the way during the night on the track route.

“We have also called tenders for the repair of the damaged drinking water lines. The repair work will be completed before the Sharadiya Navratras,” said the SDM.

Ruckus at Directorate of Medical Education
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 17
The Directorate of Medical Education had to stop counselling for admission to nursing colleges and schools after the parents of some wards seeking admission created a ruckus as their children were denied admission in 250 government quota seats in private colleges.

The counselling was abruptly stopped as it came to light that most of the private colleges where these government seats were reserved had not renewed their affiliation with the Uttarakhand Nursing Council.

“The colleges like Shri Guru Ram Rai Nursing College, Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust Nursing School, CMI Nursing School and Pal Institute of Nursing had failed to renew their affiliation with the State Nursing Council. As such they were rendered ineligible for giving admission to students in various courses,” said RP Bhatt, Director Medical Education.

Flute players leave audience spellbound
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 17
Sardar Bhagwan Singh Post Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Research organised a flute concert in association with SpicMacay to promote the Indian classical music among students. Flute recitals by Deopriya and Suchismita accompanied by Pandit Jay Shankar Mishra on tabla mesmerised the audience.

The performances revealed various forms and aspects of flute recitals with melodious tunes that left the students spellbound.

The programme started with the recital of Raga Jaith. Stating the importance of music, the musicians encouraged the students to stay connected with the traditional classical music forms. They concluded the programme by playing Om Jai Jagdish.

The programmme was inaugurated by Brig PPS Pahawa (retd) by lighting the ceremonial lamp.

MC employees celebrate Vishwakarma Jayanti
Programme was simple in view of natural disaster
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 17
Keeping in view the June tragedy, Vishwakarma Jayanti was celebrated across the district today with simplicity. A special programme was held at Dev Sanskriti University at the occasion.

Shedding light on the importance of the day, Chancellor Pranav Pandya said Lord Vishwakarma was known to be the divine engineer. “The master engineer, as he is popularly called, is worshipped by artisans, welders, architects and engineers,” he said.

Coordinator Gauri Shankar Sharma led the university members to the generator and machine tool room, where they prayed for good working of these tools.

Engineer Sharad Parthi highlighted the life and work ethics of Lord Vishwakarma whom he termed as the master architecture.

Vedic rituals were performed by pundit Indresh Pathik in presence of Laxman Prasad Sahu, Sharad Pardhi, Punit Guru Vansh, Chandrika

Prasad Mishra, Mohan Lal Gautam among others.

At the Municipal Corporation-based temple of Bhagwan Vishwakama, special prayers were performed by the employees.

‘Prasad’ was also distributed on the occasion. The occasion was also celebrated at BHEL.

Campaign to promote unity, integrity
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 17
Gandhian and peace activist SN Subba Rao inaugurated a campaign for unity and integrity of the country at a function held at Raj Bhavan last night.

Young artistes from 18 states of the country dressed in their traditional dresses presented a cultural programme titled “Bharat ki santaan” on the occasion.

Subba Rao led the resolve of keeping the country united in the face of differences in religion, language and castes.

Governor Aziz Qureshi said as long as people like Subba Rao were around, nobody could destroy unity and peace. He said history was witness to the fact that Gandhian philosophy always worked.

Subba Rao said it was good that the message of peace and unity was going out from Raj Bhavan. He said everyone should make concerted efforts to end communal hatred and violence. He gave the slogan “Nav jawan ke haath mein bandook nahin, kudaal ho.”

As many as 300 persons, mostly young, from 18 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Tripura, Manipur, Bihar and Gujarat, attended the event.

PPP cell told to report to govt on garbage issue
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 17
While taking a serious note of the grim situation unfolding between SPML company running Doon Valley Waste Management (DVWM) in the city and Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) over tipping fee, transfer station and scientific land fill (SLF) at Shishambara, the state government has directed the Public Private Partnership (PPP) cell to send a report on the matter within two days.

The talks took place today among Secretary, Urban Development, MH Khan, Additional Secretary, Jugal Kishore Pant, DMC administration represented by Mukhya Nagar Adhikari (MNA) and other fellow officials, DVWM Director Sidharth Jain and Urban Development Minister Pritam Singh Panwar and Mayor Vinod Chamoli.

Chamoli said: ''Since now the state government is dealing with the matter, so the minister as well as senior officials have asked the PPP cell to gather detailed information from both the sides. DVWM officials have been asked to put up the reasons for the losses and their demands.”

The company which till now was focusing on tipping fee has also taken along other pressing matters such as transfer station and SLF at Shishambara. Sidharth Jain said: “ It is not only the tipping fee, but the matter of transfer station, where the garbage is to be compressed and transferred to SLF at Shishambara has to be tackled as well. The company is bearing huge losses because we are unable to recycle thegarbage and earn the revenue from it. Our major revenue will come from recycling and processing of garbage, which we have not been able to do for the past two years.”

Mayor Vinod Chamoli said the state government would look into the ways to resolve the matter regarding transfer station, the site of which is stuck in a legal wrangle at Haridwar road. He said if the case was not resolved any time soon, then an alternate site would be located.

MNA Ashok Kumar highlighted the alleged blackmailing of DVWM team and lack of transparency in their execution of work.

He also questioned their reiteration of incurring losses despite having myriad methods to enhance revenue to their disposal. He also enumerated several shortcomings in their work, saying that their work was not up to the mark and the city still continued to be dirty with garbage lying unattended in several wards and markets.

The Mayor refuted the very suggestion of changing the company or taking over the garbage collection work by DMC in its hands. He found the work done under DVWM project quite satisfactory and harped on the need to resolve the conflicting issues erupting now and then between company and administration.

However, it was decided to hand over the entire matter to the PPP cell which would minutely scrutinise the agreement documents and provisions stipulated under it, along with other current issues and give a report to the state government on Thursday.